Lightning Spear to stand at Tweenhills Stud in 2019

Lightning Spear will stand at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire for the 2019 breeding season following his final outings in the QEII at Ascot on British Champions Day and the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

The Qatar Racing-owned Lightning Spear, a seven-year-old son of Pivotal, earned a deserved first Group 1 win when landing this season's Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

"He will retire sound after a pretty extraordinary career," said David Redvers, manager of Tweenhills. "I think at last count he had beaten 33 Group 1 winners during his racing career. He was champion older miler in 2016 and I suspect it will be the same this year. He's also got a super pedigree."

Bred by Newsells Park Stud, Lightning Spear is one of six winners out of the Royal Academy mare Atlantic Destiny including 1m2f Listed winner Ocean War.

Atlantic Destiny, a winning sprinter in stakes company every season from two to five, is a half-sister to the Group 2 Royal Whip Stakes winner Make No Mistake.

Lightning Spear is also inbred 4x5 on his maternal side to Flaming Page, the dam of Nijinsky and granddam of The Minstrel, with that pair both appearing in Lightning Spear's pedigree.

His 265,000gns pricetag as a Book 1 yearling, when purchased by Redvers, also pays testament to his good looks.

Other noted sons of Pivotal at stud include Siyouni and Farhh as well as Kyllachy, who was pensioned last September following a 15-year stint at Cheveley Park Stud.

A fee for Lightning Spear will be announced at a later date, while a restricted number of breeding rights have made available to leading breeders.

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